How do I install the Search skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add modbender/search in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Search safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: makes network calls. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Search?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Search free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Search?

modbender (@modbender) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Search by modbender — Agent Skill

Name: Search
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: modbender

Searches the web, legal databases, case law, patents, and case.dev knowledge base via the casedev CLI. Use when the user mentions "search", "legal research", "find cases", "case law", "patent search", "web search", "fetch URL", "webfetch", "legal skills", or needs to research legal topics, find similar cases, or retrieve web content.

modbender Updated Sep 9, 2026 12 repo stars

File contents

case.dev Search

Unified search across web, legal databases, case law, patents, vault contents, and the case.dev skills knowledge base.

Requires the casedev CLI. See setup skill for installation and auth.

Web Search

casedev search web "employment discrimination California" --json
casedev search web "SEC enforcement actions 2024" --limit 20 --json

Flags: --limit (default: 10), --news, --type (search|news), --include-domain, --exclude-domain.

Web Fetch

casedev search webfetch "https://example.com/ruling.html" --json

Flags: --livecrawl, --subpages, --subpage-target N, --max-chars N, --timeout N, --context, --no-summary, --fallback.

Multiple URLs: casedev search webfetch URL1 URL2 --json

Legal Search

casedev search legal "breach of fiduciary duty" --json
casedev search legal "ERISA preemption" --jurisdiction "federal" --json

Flags: --jurisdiction, --limit (default: 10), --deep, --alt-query (repeatable, for deep mode).

Deep mode example:

casedev search legal "force majeure pandemic" --deep \
  --alt-query "impossibility of performance COVID" \
  --alt-query "frustration of purpose" --json

Case Search

By query

casedev search cases "wrongful termination retaliation" --json

By similarity

casedev search cases --url "https://casetext.com/case/example-v-example" --json
casedev search cases --url "https://example.com/case" --after "2020-01-01" --json

Flags: --jurisdiction, --limit (default: 10), --url (similarity mode), --after (date filter).

Patent Search

casedev search patent "machine learning NLP" --json

Flags: --assignee, --inventor, --status, --type, --filing-from, --filing-to, --offset, --limit (default: 25).

Vault Semantic Search

casedev search vault "indemnification clause" --vault VAULT_ID --json

See vaults skill for full vault search documentation.

Skills Knowledge Base

casedev skills search "contract review" --json
casedev skills read SKILL_SLUG --json
casedev skills read SKILL_SLUG --content-only

Troubleshooting

No legal results: Try broader terms, remove jurisdiction filter, or use --deep mode with --alt-query variations.

Web fetch unavailable: Use --fallback to fall back to web search.

---name: searchdescription: Searches the web, legal databases, case law, patents, and case.dev knowledge base via the casedev CLI. Use when the user mentions "search", "legal research", "find cases", "case law", "patent search", "web search", "fetch URL", "webfetch", "legal skills", or needs to research legal topics, find similar cases, or retrieve web content.--- # case.dev Search Unified search across web, legal databases, case law, patents, vault contents, and the case.dev skills knowledge base. Requires the `casedev` CLI. See `setup` skill for installation and auth. ## Web Search ```bash casedev search web "employment discrimination California" --json casedev search web "SEC enforcement actions 2024" --limit 20 --json ``` Flags: `--limit` (default: 10), `--news`, `--type` (search|news), `--include-domain`, `--exclude-domain`. ## Web Fetch ```bash casedev search webfetch "https://example.com/ruling.html" --json ``` Flags: `--livecrawl`, `--subpages`, `--subpage-target N`, `--max-chars N`, `--timeout N`, `--context`, `--no-summary`, `--fallback`. Multiple URLs: `casedev search webfetch URL1 URL2 --json` ## Legal Search ```bash casedev search legal "breach of fiduciary duty" --json casedev search legal "ERISA preemption" --jurisdiction "federal" --json ``` Flags: `--jurisdiction`, `--limit` (default: 10), `--deep`, `--alt-query` (repeatable, for deep mode). Deep mode example: ```bash casedev search legal "force majeure pandemic" --deep \ --alt-query "impossibility of performance COVID" \ --alt-query "frustration of purpose" --json ``` ## Case Search ### By query ```bash casedev search cases "wrongful termination retaliation" --json ``` ### By similarity ```bash casedev search cases --url "https://casetext.com/case/example-v-example" --json casedev search cases --url "https://example.com/case" --after "2020-01-01" --json ``` Flags: `--jurisdiction`, `--limit` (default: 10), `--url` (similarity mode), `--after` (date filter). ## Patent Search ```bash casedev search patent "machine learning NLP" --json ``` Flags: `--assignee`, `--inventor`, `--status`, `--type`, `--filing-from`, `--filing-to`, `--offset`, `--limit` (default: 25). ## Vault Semantic Search ```bash casedev search vault "indemnification clause" --vault VAULT_ID --json ``` See `vaults` skill for full vault search documentation. ## Skills Knowledge Base ```bash casedev skills search "contract review" --json casedev skills read SKILL_SLUG --json casedev skills read SKILL_SLUG --content-only ``` ## Troubleshooting **No legal results**: Try broader terms, remove jurisdiction filter, or use `--deep` mode with `--alt-query` variations. **Web fetch unavailable**: Use `--fallback` to fall back to web search.

Frequently asked questions

Search